1987 Toyota Tire Fitment Guide

1987 Toyota vehicles use thirteen sizes across seven model lines: 185/70R13, 195/60R14, 205/60R14, 165R13, 155R13, 175/70R13, 185/60R14, 205/60R15, 195/70R14, 205/55R16, 225/50R16, 155/80R13, and 145/80R13. Camry uses 185/70R13 and 195/60R14; Celica uses 185/70R13, 205/60R14, and 165R13; Corolla uses 155R13, 175/70R13, 185/60R14, 195/60R14, and 185/70R13; Cressida uses 205/60R15 and 195/70R14; MR2 uses 185/60R14; Supra uses 205/55R16 and 225/50R16; Tercel uses 155R13, 175/70R13, 155/80R13, and 145/80R13.

Rim diameters span 13, 14, 15, and 16 inches, so year and make alone are not enough to choose a tire for a 1987 Toyota. Where rim-width guidance is available, it also varies by size: 13-inch examples such as 155R13 run on 4.00 to 5.50-inch rims, 185/70R13 spans roughly 4.5 to 6.5 inches depending on tire, 205/60R15 fits 5.5 to 7.5-inch rims, and 225/50R16 fits 6.0 to 8.0-inch rims. Start by confirming the exact model and wheel diameter, then compare sidewall style and brand options within that size.

On a 1987 Toyota, 165R13 is a Euro-metric radial size. The 165 is the nominal section width in millimeters, the R indicates radial construction, and the 13 is the wheel diameter in inches. Because no aspect ratio is printed, this style is conventionally understood as an 80-series radial. In this year-make range, 165R13 appears on certain Celica applications and is available in blackwall form from Michelin and Dunlop, with H-rated examples in the group.

That coding matters because 165R13 is not the same fitment choice as a lower-profile size such as 185/60R14 or 205/60R14. It points to a narrower, taller-sidewall tire on a 13-inch wheel, which tends to look more in character on period compact Japanese cars. If your 1987 Toyota Celica currently wears a different metric size, confirm the wheel diameter and compare the overall look before changing categories.

No. 1987 Toyota models use different tire sizes depending on the model and application. Some sizes are shared between models, such as 185/70R13 on the Camry, Celica, and Corolla, 195/60R14 on the Camry and Corolla, 155R13 on the Corolla and Tercel, 175/70R13 on the Corolla and Tercel, and 185/60R14 on the Corolla and MR2. Other sizes are model-specific, including both Supra 16-inch fitments, both Cressida fitments, the Tercel's 145/80R13 and 155/80R13, and the Celica's 205/60R14 and 165R13.

The practical takeaway is that a 1987 Toyota badge by itself does not narrow the search enough. Corolla and Tercel buyers may be choosing among multiple 13-inch sizes, while Supra buyers are dealing with dedicated 16-inch performance sizes that do not cross over to the rest of the range. Checking the tire size on the car now, then confirming it against the wheel diameter and the model-specific fitment page, is the safest path before you commit to a replacement.

Sidewall style depends heavily on size. 185/70R13 comes in blackwall, redline, and wide whitewall form; 205/60R15 adds blackwall, wide whitewall, and raised white letter options; 155/80R13 offers narrow whitewall and wide whitewall choices. Other covered sizes such as 165R13, 155R13, 175/70R13, 185/60R14, 195/60R14, 195/70R14, 205/55R16, and 225/50R16 are represented primarily as blackwalls.

That variety lets a 1987 Toyota owner lean either toward a factory-like late-1980s blackwall look or toward a customized period presentation, especially on cars such as the Cressida or Tercel that can wear whitewalls convincingly in certain contexts. Performance-oriented applications like the Supra are naturally centered on blackwall tires, while a compact or sedan being restored to a specific appearance standard should have its sidewall style checked against photos, brochures, or marque-community guidance.

1987 Toyota tire coverage here includes BFGoodrich, Avon, Dunlop, Michelin, American Classic, Coker Classic, Travelstar, Maxxis, and Tornel. Brand coverage varies by size: 185/70R13 comes from BFGoodrich, Avon, and Dunlop; 165R13 from Michelin and Dunlop; 205/60R15 from Michelin, American Classic, Coker Classic, and BFGoodrich; 205/55R16 and 225/50R16 from BFGoodrich and Michelin; and 155/80R13 from Travelstar, BFGoodrich, Maxxis, and Tornel.

Choosing among them is less about one brand fitting every 1987 Toyota and more about matching the tire to the car's role. Some sizes emphasize touring and performance blackwalls, while others also offer whitewalls, redlines, or raised white letters for a more customized or nostalgia-oriented look. Once the exact size is settled, compare the available sidewall treatment, speed category, and rim-width range before deciding which brand best suits your car.

For a 1987 Toyota using 185/70R13, BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial and Avon CR6ZZ serve different purposes. The BFGoodrich tire appears in redline and wide whitewall form, carries a 1,135-pound maximum load at 35 psi, weighs about 20 pounds, and fits 5.00 to 6.50-inch rims. The Avon CR6ZZ is a blackwall radial with an 86H marking, weighs about 19.31 pounds, and fits 4.5 to 6.0-inch rims.

That means the BFGoodrich option is more visually oriented toward period-style presentation, while the Avon keeps a cleaner blackwall appearance with an H speed rating that suits drivers wanting a more understated late-1980s look. Neither one is automatically the right answer for every Camry, Celica, or Corolla using this size. The better choice depends on whether appearance, rating, and rim-width compatibility line up with the car you are restoring or driving.

Rim-width requirements on 1987 Toyota tires vary by size. 155R13 fits 4.00 to 5.50-inch rims, 165R13 fits 4.50 to 6.00-inch rims, 175/70R13 fits 4.5 to 6.0-inch rims, 185/70R13 runs from about 4.5 to 6.5 inches depending on the tire, and 155/80R13 ranges from 4.00 to 5.50 inches on the examples with published fitment. Moving upward, 185/60R14 fits 5 to 6.0-inch rims, 205/60R15 fits 5.5 to 7.5-inch rims, 205/55R16 fits 5.5 to 7.5-inch rims, and 225/50R16 fits 6.0 to 8.0-inch rims.

Those numbers matter because two tires with the same wheel diameter may still prefer different rim widths. A Corolla or Tercel on a narrow factory wheel should stay within the approved range for its exact size, while a Supra owner comparing 205/55R16 and 225/50R16 needs to pay close attention to width support, not just diameter. Check the wheel before ordering, especially if the car has aftermarket rims or a prior owner changed sizes.

Most 1987 Toyota tire products here are radials intended for tubeless use, and several are marked TL directly in the size description, including 195/60R14, 165R13, 155R13, 185/60R14, 205/60R15, 205/55R16, and 225/50R16 examples. Some sizes do not carry a tube marking in every product description, so tube status can vary by product presentation rather than by wheel diameter alone. None of the covered 1987 Toyota fitments are old-style bias-ply tube-type applications by default.

Even so, a tubeless tire still depends on the wheel itself being suitable and in sound condition. Original 1987 Toyota steel or alloy wheels are usually the starting point, but age, corrosion, previous repairs, or aftermarket wheel changes can alter whether the assembly seals properly. Match the tire's sidewall marking to the wheel you are using, and if there is any doubt, have a tire professional inspect the wheel before mounting.

Original 1987 Toyota wheels cannot be treated as universal across the full model range because the covered tires mount on 13-, 14-, 15-, and 16-inch rims. A Camry or Corolla on 13-inch wheels does not share wheel compatibility with a Cressida on 15-inch tires or a Supra on 16-inch tires. Even within one model line, the same car family may use more than one diameter depending on the application.

That means wheel diameter should be confirmed before any cross-shopping between sizes. A Celica owner considering 165R13 versus 205/60R14, or a Cressida owner comparing 195/70R14 with 205/60R15, must first determine which wheels are actually on the car. Once the diameter is confirmed, then it makes sense to check rim width and the intended appearance or driving character of the replacement tire.

A stored 1987 Toyota should be kept in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, welders, battery chargers, furnaces, and other ozone-producing equipment that can age rubber prematurely. Clean tires with mild soap and water rather than dressings that leave heavy chemical residue. If the car sits for long periods, rolling it periodically or supporting it in a way that reduces static load can help minimize flat spotting, which older-style low-use collector tires can show more readily than a regularly driven car.

Good storage is especially important if your 1987 Toyota wears specialty sidewalls such as whitewalls or redlines, since appearance is often part of the reason those tires were chosen. Keep inflation at an appropriate level for storage, avoid parking on bare earth, and cover the tires if the garage has windows. A little attention during the off-season can preserve both the tire's cosmetic finish and its road manners when the car goes back into service.

On a collector or low-use 1987 Toyota, tire age usually matters more than tread depth. A good rule is to evaluate tires carefully once they reach the five- to seven-year range and to treat around ten years from the date code as a point where replacement deserves serious consideration, even if the tread still looks usable. Heat cycles, storage conditions, inflation history, and exposure to sun or ozone often shorten service life long before mileage does.

That is why a lightly driven Camry, Celica, Corolla, Cressida, MR2, Supra, or Tercel can still need fresh tires despite appearing barely worn. Check the DOT date code on the sidewall, inspect for hardening or cracking, and think about how you actually use the car. A vehicle that sees highway trips, long-distance events, or spirited seasonal driving should be judged more conservatively than one that moves only around the block.

Tires on a 1987 Toyota should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer trip. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, irregular tread wear, embedded debris, and signs that one tire is losing pressure faster than the others. Pay attention to valve stems as well, since rubber stems age just like tires and can become a hidden failure point on older cars.

A short walk-around is often enough to catch problems before they become a roadside issue. On cars that sit for weeks or months, also check for flat spotting and make sure the spare is still usable, especially if the car is headed to a show or long cruise. Frequent inspection matters more on older specialty tires because time and storage conditions often create issues that mileage alone will not reveal.

A 1987 Toyota Camry would have been delivered on radial tires, not bias-ply construction, and the covered fitments for the model are 185/70R13 and 195/60R14. That reflects the late-1980s shift toward modern metric radial sizing across mainstream Japanese sedans. Blackwall presentation would have been the mainstream factory look for most U.S.-market Camry applications of the period, even though specialty sidewall treatments exist today in some shared sizes.

For a restoration, the most accurate starting point is the exact size shown on the car's original placard, owner's literature, or an untouched survivor from the same model configuration. Because wheel and trim packages can change the fitment, use marque clubs, Toyota literature, and original-wheel verification to settle the final answer. Once the size is confirmed, you can choose whether authenticity matters more than a custom whitewall or redline appearance.

Correct tire fitment absolutely matters when showing a 1987 Toyota, especially at marque-focused or preservation-oriented events. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice whether the size, profile, construction type, and sidewall style look appropriate for the model and period. A Supra wearing the wrong width relationship, a Tercel on an obviously oversized modern fitment, or a sedan fitted with an appearance style that clashes with late-1980s factory practice can all stand out for the wrong reason.

That does not mean every event applies the same standard. Some local shows reward overall presentation more than factory accuracy, while marque and concours events tend to be much stricter about tire appearance and fitment. If your 1987 Toyota is being prepared for judging, confirm the exact size, wheel diameter, and sidewall treatment that best matches your target class, and check with Toyota clubs or event organizers for rule-specific expectations.

For a 1987 Toyota using 155R13, Michelin XAS and Dunlop SP Sport Aquajet share the same basic size category but differ in published details. The Michelin carries a 155HR13 78H TL marking, fits 4.00 to 5.50-inch rims, and presents as a blackwall tubeless radial. The Dunlop is also a blackwall radial in 155R13 with a 78H marking and a 937-pound maximum load figure, but no rim-width figure appears with it here.

That makes the Michelin especially helpful when you need a clearly defined rim-width range, while the Dunlop gives a direct load figure to compare against your intended use. Either way, this is still a narrow 13-inch fitment that suits certain Corolla and Tercel applications rather than the wider sport-oriented sizes used elsewhere in the 1987 Toyota lineup. Owners aiming for authenticity should confirm the original wheel and sidewall look before choosing between them.

Many 1987 Toyota tires here are fully modern radial designs with highway-capable speed ratings. H-rated examples are rated to 130 mph, T-rated examples to 118 mph, V-rated examples to 149 mph, W-rated examples to 168 mph, and Y-rated examples to 186 mph and above. Those ratings exceed the normal legal highway speeds most owners will encounter, and they appear across sizes ranging from small 13-inch applications to 16-inch Supra fitments.

Real-world safety depends on much more than the tire's letter rating. The condition of the tire, the age of the rubber, inflation, wheel integrity, alignment, and the overall mechanical state of a 1987 Toyota all matter just as much. On an older car, brakes, suspension wear, and steering condition often become the practical limit before a properly chosen radial tire does, so highway use should always start with a complete vehicle check.

Inflation pressure on a 1987 Toyota should follow the vehicle's factory recommendation for the exact model and size, then be checked against the tire manufacturer's maximum load and pressure marking where that information is published. Examples here include 185/70R13 at 1,135 pounds at 35 psi, 155/80R13 at 959 pounds at 35 psi, 205/60R15 at 1,301 pounds at 35 psi or 1,521 pounds at 32 psi depending on tire, 205/55R16 at up to 1,477 pounds at 50 psi, and 225/50R16 at 1,389 pounds at 51 psi.

Those figures are not universal inflation recommendations for every 1987 Toyota; they are maximum load-and-pressure references tied to individual tires. A Camry, Cressida, or Supra can require very different operating pressures even if the tires look similar at a glance. Use the factory placard or owner's manual as the baseline, then make sure the tire itself is suitable for that application rather than copying pressure from another size.

Before a longer trip in a 1987 Toyota, inspect every tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, punctures, unusual wear, and proper cold inflation. Check that the wheel diameter and installed tire size match the car's intended setup, especially on models that had more than one fitment, such as the Camry, Celica, Corolla, Cressida, Supra, and Tercel. Confirm that the spare is usable and that valve stems are still in good shape.

A longer drive also calls for a broader age-appropriate mechanical review. Make sure the brakes, steering, suspension, cooling system, and charging system are ready for distance, because a sound tire cannot compensate for a weak chassis or neglected maintenance. For a collector Toyota that spends much of its life parked, that pre-trip inspection often matters more than how much tread the tires still show.